Old Timers
by Owl of the Moon
Summary: After Rose passes, Jack lives in a nursing home. The newest resident? Cal. Now with achy joints and gray hair, will these two ever get along? Read and review!


**Watched part of Grumpy Old Men the other day and this idea popped into my head and I'm running with it. I don't intend for it to be a long story, just a few chapters. Read and review!**

"Good morning Jack!" The voice came from Shawna, a heavyset black woman in her forties. "How are you feeling today?"

Jack smiled at her, she always had a way with making him forget about his bad knee. "Well I woke this morning, so I guess I'm feeling pretty good."

Shawna laughed and opened up the curtains in his room. The sky was clouded over threatening rain. She admired a new drawing as she did so. It was always the same woman in the drawings. "How you still manage to do such beautiful work after all these years?"

Jack shrugged. "I'm only eighty four. And I'm here until the day I die. What else am I going to do with myself?" Rose had been gone for a year now. There was never a moment that he didn't miss her.

"I actually do have something for you to do," she told him. "A new resident came in a couple hours ago and he the grumpiest of grumpy old men. Being the natural charmer you are with every person who crosses your path, how about you talk him into being nice to the nurses?"

_**...**_

Jack used to love rainy days. He and Rose would often sit outside and get soaked. Life moved on, they grew old, and arthritis settled into various joints. The moisture in the air often caused flare ups. Needless to say, he very much disliked rainy days now.

He saw the old man from the back. The top of his head going bald which he had attempted to hide with a horrid comb over of gray hair. Jack smiled to himself, grateful his hair had never thinned out. Though no longer the sandy blond it was years ago, it still had the beauty to it...even if it was white.

"Hi there. Jack Dawson." Jack offered his hand to the man, who instead glared at him. "And you are?" There was something familiar and eerie in the man's glare.

"You have got to be kidding me! Of all the nursing homes in the state, I have to be sent to the same one you're in?" Jack's smile didn't fall, instead it widened.

"Hello Cal."

_**...**_

"Nurse! Get this disgusting man away from me!" Jack leaned back and snorted in attempt to hide a laugh. He saw Shawna shake her head and smile, completely ignoring Cal.

"Cal, it's been sixty some years. You're still holding a grudge?" Cal turned to him in disgust.

"You ruined my life Dawson. Do you know how long it took me to recover after you stole Rose away from me?"

"First of all Cal, I didn't steal Rose from you. She left you on her own. And second of all, Rose DeWitt Bukater died that night in April. At least as far as anyone of 'importance' knew," Jack said firmly.

It was Cal's turn to snort now. "And where is she now? Someone else steal her away from you?"

Jack sighed. He didn't look forward to telling Cal, but maybe the words would have some effect on him. "She passed away last year of cancer."

Indeed the words had some effect on Cal as his face went somber. "I'm...um...sorry to hear that Dawson."

Jack rolled his eyes at the weak attempt. "Are you really Cal?"

"I am a human being too Jack. I'm not one to wish ill on anyone." Jack's eyebrows went up so fast, they would have flown off his face if they weren't attached.

"Just shoot at them occasionally?" Cal groaned in anger.

"Alright, you've made a point. Good for you." Jack laughed. _Rose, where ever you are right now, I hope you're watching this,_ he mused.

"Look Cal. Like I said, it's been over seventy years. Can't we just call a truce?"

Cal's glare lightened, but didn't disappear. "Why?"

Jack leaned back in his chair. "Oh I don't know. Maybe it's because we're a couple of old timers now and I'd like to enjoy the time I have left without having to worry about you...I dunno...killing me in my sleep maybe?" Cal laughed, but nodded.

"I guess we can do that. The truce I mean, not killing each other. As long you understand that I never have and never will like you."

"Fine by me. I don't think I'll ever come around to liking you either." Jack stood to get up. "One more thing Cal. Be nice to the nurses. I've been here a year and they all love me."

Cal stood too, and Jack found it amusing to see that Cal was now about five inches short than he was. "So?"

"So I've got some pull around here," Jack threatened with a joking tone. He turned and headed over to watch some TV.

"Dickhead," Cal mumbled just loud enough for Jack to hear.

"Jackass," he threw back over his shoulder to Cal.

**Just to clear things, up Jack is 84, Cal is 92 and if I did my math right, then this is taking place in 1974.**


End file.
